• Agustín Conde-Agudelo, Aníbal Nieto, Anyeli Rosas-Bermudez, and Roberto Romero.
• Perinatology Research Branch, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, MD, and Detroit, MI.
• Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol. 2013 Jul 1; 209 (1): 40.e1-40.e17.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic misoprostol use at cesarean delivery for reducing intraoperative and postoperative hemorrhage.Study DesignSystematic review and metaanalysis of randomized controlled trials.ResultsSeventeen studies (3174 women) were included of which 7 evaluated misoprostol vs oxytocin and 8 evaluated misoprostol plus oxytocin vs oxytocin alone. Overall, there were no significant differences in intraoperative and postoperative hemorrhage between sublingual or oral misoprostol and oxytocin. Rectal misoprostol, compared with oxytocin, was associated with a significant reduction in intraoperative and postoperative hemorrhage. The combined use of sublingual misoprostol and oxytocin, compared with the use of oxytocin alone, was associated with a significant reduction in the mean decrease in hematocrit (mean difference, -2.1%; 95% confidence interval, -3.4 to -0.8) and use of additional uterotonic agents (relative risk, 0.33; 95% confidence interval, 0.18-0.62). Compared with oxytocin alone, buccal misoprostol plus oxytocin reduced the use of additional uterotonic agents; rectal misoprostol plus oxytocin decreased intraoperative and postoperative blood loss, mean fall in hematocrit, and use of additional uterotonic agents; and intrauterine misoprostol plus oxytocin reduced the mean fall in hemoglobin and hematocrit. Women receiving misoprostol, alone or combined with oxytocin, had a higher risk of shivering and pyrexia.ConclusionMisoprostol combined with oxytocin appears to be more effective than oxytocin alone in reducing intraoperative and postoperative hemorrhage during cesarean section. There were no significant differences in intraoperative and postoperative hemorrhage when misoprostol was compared to oxytocin. However, these findings were based on a few trials with methodological limitations.Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

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